Kyungsoo stops mid-steps as he stares at the familiar cave meters away from him.

 

The last time he comes in this place where when he is with his father. He remembers pointing a tiny finger at it and childishly had an intention of wandering inside. "Why?" a seven year old Kyungsoo asked, stubborn cheeks being blown in as he pouts, stomping his feet in frustration at his father for reprimanding him to play inside of this 'rocky house' he implemented to name it.

 

His father only gently tugs his wrist to go back at their cottage, faintly voicing out "Its dangerous there ofcourse." And he couldn't fight no more but just whine at their way back in the coast. But he's certain in hisself he had heard his name being called somewhere deep--begging him to stay.

 

It was that same month his father had died, because of his permanent sickness he had shamelessly hid from everyone, especially to him, his own son. It was the month that Kyungsoo had become a mute. He should've cried, but he didn't. Kyungsoo was sent to his aunt afterwards, the old lady ravishing him with outmost care and almost-almost Kyungsoo gives in of making a front. But, he didn't. His father was the only person he treasured back then when his mother had committed adultery and left them two alone. He was only seven-how could life be so cruel?

 

But he had to keep going, somehow.

 

"Kyungsoo, we have to go back. Seungsang-nim was calling us." Jongdae says, waiting patiently for the slightest movement from him to signal for an answer. Said boy simply nods, heads down as he walk behind his classmate. He wasn't really treated unfairly because he couldn't seem to use his voice for communication. There are times when his classmates tried to start a conversation with him, but he shutted them down like he had also developed deafness. It wasnt because he doesn't know how to socially bonds in a crowd, it was more of his past that block the lights out to live.

 

---

 

They were having a closing party and everyone in his class decided to go someplace near the sea. And coincedentally, they had picked an island that made Kyungsoo signing up to the list of who were going to attend. He heard those little hums and whispers from his classmates when he had raised his hand to second the motion of the voting polls.

 

He doesn't know why, but something in his system was telling him he needs to be there.

 

The cave.

 

---

 

"Okay folks listen up!" Jongdae claps his hands, getting the attention of all the students in the cottage they were admitted in. Their teacher had long left them to discuss something about the payments and such on the counter.

"I've got this plan-"

 

There were a few groans heard. "What now Kim?" one of his classmates spat out, face full of boredome.

 

Jongdae smirks mockingly. "How rare of you Sehun to be interested." Sehun rolls his eyes. "Okay-We'll be having a game...a test of courage," before his classmates protest in unison he continues, his smile never leaving his face. "We're all going to take it. And I'd like to give credit to our Do there for finding a cave to set the place." Jongdae winks in his direction. Kyungsoo's ears perked up at the mention of the 'cave' and furrows his brows at the latter.

 

His classmates immediately look at him, faces perplex and hundreds of questions wanting to break out of their lips. But they shut it down, knowing the muted boy wouldn't speak up his defense. They all sighed as they face Jongdae, who was having a smug grin. "What's the catch?" scowling, Jongin had manage to stay awake whereas all of them are expecting him to knocked out by now in the corner.

 

Jongdae whistles. "First is Do, then Oh and showed up another Kim! isn't this going to be thrilling?" He fakes a gasp, before answering "Whoever wins, he'll be going to be the boss around here at the end of the closing. Well she if theres going to be a girl brave enough to get inside without fleeing back at the starting point." He chuckles, earning glares at most of the girls.

 

All of them seemed satisfied at the prize they all agreed to take the challenge. With a cheeky grin, Jongdae explains the rules. "You'll be going inside solo or pair. Maximum of 2." He raises his fingers as if he's doing the v sign and laughs at how the girls expressions instantly change. "More importantly, I don't want having some of you use the cave as a motel. I am talking to you Lu, get your ing out the radar." Luhan mischievously smiles. "The game will start at 9."

 

At that, their teacher had came back and announce their room. Kyungsoo absentmindly followed the class behind. Biting his bottom lip, he doesn't know if he'll feel excited that finally he'll be able to get deeper inside that cave than just having to stare at it in a distance or if he should worry about something.

 

---

 

Kyungsoo's insides churns as he looks at the cave. Its not even his turn to get in but he felt himself shuddering. It must be the cold breeze.

 

They're surroundings were dull, it was dark, past 9. They have started a while ago, everyone has their pairs and few picked solo. All they have to do is stay at the cave for an hour and raced to be the first one to be able to get outside. Ofcourse whoever runs outside without completing an hour will be eliminated to the game. Kyungsoo sighs, almost blowing out the candle in his hand.

 

"Next is... Do! haha!" Jongdae said. He seemed to be the only one being overly happy at the moment when everyone had this urge to pee in fright. The latter pats him in the back and wish him good luck before entering the cave. 

 

Its much more cold in there but Kyungsoo didn't mind, he scans the place as he walks, face in awe. He had been wanting to get inside the cave for how long years since and now he's currently walking inside of it, eyes didn't left any trace to admired upon. He heard a lot of chattering a few distance away from him and maybe the others are close. He hangs his head low as he past them, blowing an air when he had took steps ahead of them. He continues wandering the cave until he had to choose which path he is going to take. He shrugs as he thought they were the same and goes right.

 

Busy praising the carved walls and the rocks that adorned the place, he doesn't realize he hadn't heard any single noise from where he is going. He stops dead in his tracks and look over his shoulder. The path he had taken was so dark the candle in his hand wasn't enough to lit the way back. He sighs and walks back to the starting point, having counted the time he's sure it'll be a few minutes before 10.

 

As he walks back to the path he had taken earlier, he felt sudden movements behind him. He ignored it though, blaming the wind to be extra active in the cave. But as he remained walking, he soon detects that it wasn't a normal movement that a wind could produce. He is certain winds doesn't have feets to walk heavily. He turned his back and scan the place, he waves his candle to see better but what greets him is silence and rocks. The process was repeated again and again.

 

 

His brain told him to run but he collects himself. Having sighed on the nth time, he turns around to continue walking when he had hit something hard. He stumbled backwards and his candle was thrown a distance from him. He stands up and was about to retrieve his candle when a pair of hands get them before he could. He was still looking down so he only gets to see the person's feet but his brows knitted as he found that the newcomer isn't wearing any shoe wear. Kyungsoo slowly lifts his head and externally pales, all the blood in his face immediately rushing down and his feet turning weak.

 

Horns.

 

The other's eyes grew bigger as he look at him.

 

"Soo?"

 

---

 

In a span of seconds, Kyungsoo finds himself panting and running away to wherever the path will take him. Its dark and he doesn't have any light to see his way but it.

 

He saw Horns. Real horns protruding that boy's forehead.

 

Its almost like... Demons like the picture he saw in one of the mythology books in the library.

 

Kyungsoo stops, breathing hard and looking behind his shoulder to spot him. He touches the rocky walls of the cave to give his exhausted body support and sighs in relief when he hasn't felt another presence.

 

But, he's caught on guard as a hand firmly embraces him from the back and a warm breathe tickles his ears. His heartbeats stop.

 

"I missed you..." Panic starts to shower Kyungsoo as the boy with horns nuzzles his face in the underside of his neck, inhaling the scent of him. He tries to wriggle free from being clamp but the other only strengthen his grip from him, preventing him from running away further. Nevertheless, he tries to jab the other with his elbow and kick its shin, hoping it would be enough to make the boy unhand him.

 

"Stop." Kyungsoo's eyes grew larger as the boy behind tells-commands him from making unnecessary movements. He froze in shock from the authoritative voice the other had. He was spin away to make him look better at the stranger, but he could only fret in fear as he saw the boy was no longer amuse from his stubborn attempt to escape. If anything that those small eyes narrow into slits and the underside of his lips was turned down in a frown.

 

--"soo! Kyungsoo! Do Kyungsoo!" Ears attentively rise up as Kyungsoo heard the yells of his classmates. He is never been glad to hear Jongdae's voice echoes through the walls of the cave. He cranes his neck when a light of a candle following a horde of silhouette illuminate the path. His hope raise a voltage higher and he begun violently kicking the air and squirm away from the steel embraced the other has on him. But, the other replies in a low dangerous growl in his ear that made his skin crawl. A curse, and then in a flash of light, Kyungsoo couldn't pick up the familiar voice anymore.

 

---

 

Kyungsoo grimace as his shoulder meets the cold wall of the cave, squirming even more when the other tightens the grip he has on either side of his shoulders.

 

"Don't you remember me?" The boy angrily spats out, horns threateningly pointed. Kyungsoo halts, chest heaving up and down as he watches the other change his expression. "Speak."

 

Kyungsoo slowly shook his head, eyes wide as he stares to the boy pinning its body too intimately close to his. He tries to sqeeze his back further on the wall but it only resolves the other leaning back, making no space for their nose not to bump.

 

"Why?"

 

It is not powerful this time-its voice-its suddenly ... lonely.

 

He hates it, like how it sounded like he is on the verge of crying.

 

Like it sounded he is painfully stabbed in the heart, by him.

 

He doesn't know how to react, its just fast that the other change its emotions too quickly that Kyungsoo couldn't comprehend what is the other was actually feeling. He doesn't know too why his stomach twists in that particular sound the other presently emits.

 

Kyungsoo tilts his head, his gaze soften as he looks at the boy infront of him. He looks like a kicked puppy-being abandoned in the doorstep, waiting for the door to open and for his owner to come back and owns him again.

 

Neither realize that their too close-too close that one unlucky movement can make their lips touch.

 

The boy with horns places his gaze at his lips and up again to meet his eyes. "I'll make you remember." Kyungsoo has no time to register the others words as his lips collide with hot ones, smashing it into his unguarded mouth in an unmerciful clash. His eyes grew larger than before and forcely retracting his face away from the boy infront of him. But the other was obviously stronger. Kyungsoo could hear the others whispers of please in every push of its lips on him, begging him. He has no other choice but to let his eyes tightly shut, still not responding to the kiss.  But everytime those warm lips deliciously slid against his is irresistibly pushing him to submit, pretend the undisguised horns and follow the willing warmth. He push the thought away.

 

 

 

 

---

 

"Hi." Kyungsoo shrieks, jumping adorably and pouting at the newcomer. He is busy making a flower bracelet but the other has to surprise him and make him do all over the process again.

 

"Go away." he said, brows knitted together as he intently places a flower by flower step by step.

 

This time, the other pouts, making his way to sit infront of him and watch as he do it determindly. His own brows meet together in utter confusion. "What's the flower for?"

 

"For my father."

 

"Why's that?"

 

"Because.." Kyungsoo thought of it from the moment... I love him!" he exclaimedly cheers, going back from putting all of its attention to the flower at hand. He felt the other boy pouted at him, he looks up and he is met in a scowl. "Why are you crying?" he gently reaches for the other, concern written in his face.

 

"S-soo-" the other sniffs. "b-because you didn't give me any f-flower b-before. Don't you love me?" the message comes out hoarse and Kyungsoo's chest tighten at the sight with the sound the other painfully makes. He thinks of other solution to make the other stop from being sad when an idea pops at his head. He leans in and kiss him square on the lips quick. It successfully made the other stop from tearing up but he also sense that the other boy was going to ask what it is for.

 

"Its a kiss. Father told me if I love someone I should kiss them. I kiss father too in the cheek. But I saw something in television that if you really really love someone you should kiss them on the lips." Kyungsoo thoughtfully explains, smiling brightly afterwards. The other boy nods in acknowledgement, tasting his lips and trying to feel those plump ones once more.

 

"Can we do it more often?" the boy suggest, eyes twinkling in mirth. "Its fun! and it shows how you really love me!"

 

Kyungsoo doesn't have the heart to reject the offer and bobs his head. "Okay, but let me finish this first." the other boy excitedly thumbs up, waiting patiently for his turn.

 

"Soo, I love you." he suddenly blurts out, causing him to smile.

 

"I love you too, -"

 

 

 

---

 

Kyungsoo harshly opens his eyes and successfully pushing the other off him. He pants as he was left with no breathe, clutching his chest as he inhales deeply. He remembered it now, all the memories rushing back at him like tides on the ocean. He blinks, gazing up to the boy infront of him. As he gets a better look, a better information, a better image of the boy with horns in the past inside the cave. His chest felt as if it burst a thousand of butterflies and his heart is jumping from joy it almost want to leave its ribcage and personally hug the other.

 

He smiles brilliantly, feeling his chest risen and throat throbbing,

 

"Baekhyun."

 

---


Had the candle lit by itself, remains a mystery.



Because its still casting a light somehow…

…


..


.


Jongdae checks his wrist watch for the 3^rd time, tapping his foot impatiently and groaning to the direction of the cave.


“Ya! Kim its past 11! Chanyeol already won-Aw-“ Sehun instantly shielded his head and glared at the tall man beside him. “Add hyung.”


Jongdae purse his lips and sighed, giving up of finding his classmate and ushered the whole class back. He was about to take a step ahead when he had catch a glint inside the cave.


And it was only the reassurance that he needs before he cheerfully run towards the class.








---where we could say that Jongdae wasn't a mortal himself.